“The incoming board is committed to working with IRS to improve its proposal to create a voluntary return preparer program in time for the 2015 filing season,” said NAEA Executive Vice President Michael S. Nelson, CAE. “Our long-held position on return preparer oversight has been that a meaningful program must provide taxpayers with assurance that a preparer has demonstrated competency through testing and is required to keep up with the changing tax environment through continuing education. This formidable board of America’s tax experts is up to the task of working with policymakers to safeguard taxpayers from ignorant or incompetent return preparers.”

The board members met in the Washington, DC, area May 7-10, where they attended the NAEA Board of Directors and state affiliate leadership meetings and the “Fly-In” day, where members met with their elected officials to advocate for sound tax policy. Some highlights of these May meetings were addresses from IRS Commissioner John Koskinen and IRS Office of Professional Responsibility Director Karen Hawkins, and the board’s swearing in by NAEA Past President Kirby Robinson, EA. During the Saturday board meeting, Victoria McGinn, EA, CPA, of Holtville, NY was elected by the board to fill a vacant director position.

NAEA is the membership society of tax professionals who provide tax preparation, representation, tax planning and other financial services to millions of individual and business taxpayers. Enrolled agents (EAs) are the only federally-licensed tax practitioners who specialize in taxation and also have unlimited rights to represent taxpayers before the IRS – they’re America’s tax experts®. Members of NAEA must fulfill continuing professional education requirements that exceed the IRS’ requirements and adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct. For more information on enrolled agents, or to find one in your community, go to the “Find an EA” directory at www.naea.org.